Speech by CE at 11th Belt and Road Summit (English only) (with photos)
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Your Excellency Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov (the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan), Your Excellency Vice President Carolina Cosse (the Vice President of Uruguay), Your Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith (Deputy Prime Minister of Laos), Honourable Director Zhou Ji (the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)), Vice Minister Yan Dong (Vice Minister of Commerce), Vice Chairman Li Zhen (Vice Chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council), Commissioner Cui Jianchun (the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR), Professor Frederick Ma (the Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my great pleasure to welcome you – more than 6 000 government leaders and high-profile professionals from over 70 countries – from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and beyond – welcome to Hong Kong, and welcome to the 11th Belt and Road Summit.
Every year since 2016, we gather here to turn opportunities into tangible outcomes – business and investment partnerships, and the promise of more to follow. This year, under the theme "Advancing High-Quality Development · Embarking on a New Journey", we come together with renewed determination to build a more prosperous future for all.
In a world struggling with unprecedented change and geopolitical fragmentation, connectivity, co-operation and consensus are essential. That's precisely what the Belt and Road Initiative offers.
Rooted in our rich history of cross-cultural collaboration, the Belt and Road Initiative is not a map of the past, but a shared blueprint for the future. And Hong Kong is where we realise that future. Where East meets West. Where capital, talent, businesses and opportunities converge.
And for good reason. Under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong enjoys the strong support of China, our country, while maintaining far-reaching international connectivity. We are internationally recognised as a global centre for finance, trade and logistics, as well as legal services and dispute resolution. Hong Kong is also developing rapidly as an international innovation, technology and education hub.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's plan to establish an office in Hong Kong, and the International Organization for Mediation's opening of its headquarters here, last October, underline our role as an international financial and dispute resolution centre.
Hong Kong has signed free trade agreements with 14 Belt and Road countries, investment agreements with 20 Belt and Road economies and comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreements with 43 Belt and Road tax jurisdictions.
There's more. With the official opening, last month, of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong now has 15 overseas Economic and Trade Offices. Together with InvestHK and Hong Kong Trade Development Council offices, our global network covers 129 countries, including 99 Belt and Road countries.
Hong Kong's merchandise trade with Belt and Road countries rose by nearly 17 per cent last year, reaching about 323 billion US Dollars. Close to 1 500 companies from Belt and Road countries have established offices in Hong Kong, up about 17 per cent from 2022. Over 100 Belt and Road companies are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with more in the pipeline.
Hong Kong is also a hub for major international events. In July, LEAP, the global technology conference based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, chose Hong Kong for its first international edition, LEAP East. Next month, Hong Kong will host the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Finance Ministers' Meeting. We will also host the 94th INTERPOL General Assembly, for four days from November 30, and the Belt and Road Green Innovation Conference next month.
In addition to strengthening our relations with traditional partners, Hong Kong continues to expand our network of friends along the Belt and Road. Ever since assuming office four years ago, I have led high-level business delegations to explore opportunities in 13 Belt and Road countries across ASEAN, the Middle East, and Central Asia: starting with Thailand in 2022; followed by the UAB (United Arab Emirates) and Saudi Arabia, and then Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2023; Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in 2024; Qatar and Kuwait in 2025; and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan this year.
Our approach to exploring new markets is as itinerant as it is strategic. Every year, we focus on specific areas, and key economies in these areas.
One of our focal points is obviously ASEAN – Hong Kong's close neighbour and our second-largest trading partner in the past 16 years in a row. Another area of focus is the Middle East, where the connectivity and exchanges between its dynamic centres of economic might and Hong Kong are growing by the day, and paving the way for accelerated trade growth. One other significant hub of connection is Central Asia, which acts as our gateway to unlock potentials of the broader region of Eurasia, seamlessly linking us with vibrant emerging markets.
Our regional focus is structured. Our reach remains flexible. Our drive stems from meeting the needs and interests of the business community.
These missions delivered over 250 MOUs (Memorandum of Understanding) and other agreements, from policy co-ordination and trade and investment, to expanded connectivity and support for companies. They underline Hong Kong's long-standing focus on opening new markets, forming new partnerships and advancing regional co-operation.
My most recent mission, to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, deepened Hong Kong's long-term engagement with Central Asia. I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome extended by both governments, and honoured that the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan is joining us today at this Summit.
The mission yielded 96 co-operation agreements and MOUs valued at more than 1.65 billion US Dollars. Early results are encouraging: Central Asian companies are pursuing listings in Hong Kong; direct flights between Central Asia and Hong Kong are expected to begin in January; and a large-scale conference, presented by a major Hong Kong media organisation, has just concluded in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
These are not isolated successes. Rather, they demonstrate the value of a hub-to-hub co-operation model. Under it, Hong Kong can serve as Belt and Road economies' gateway to the Chinese Mainland and global markets. In return, the countries we visit join us with their regions, creating an inter-connected network of hubs. This network will amplify regional strengths through enhanced connectivity and, in doing so, unleash fresh opportunities.
The true currency of the Belt and Road is, after all, trust. It is what Hong Kong can seamlessly deliver as a global gateway for capital.
In June, Kazakhstan's national railway company applied for a listing in Hong Kong, to finance new rail infrastructure and expand transport capacity. A Hungarian bank listed its seven billion euros medium-term note programme in Hong Kong, becoming the first European Union bank to establish such a bond programme on our exchange.
And negotiations on the Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments between Hong Kong and Bangladesh has recently concluded. The agreement will be signed today. Its entry into force will provide protection to investors on both sides, further encouraging bilateral investment flow.
Hong Kong is also advancing digital connectivity. In July, the nearly 3 000-kilometre Sihanoukville-Hong Kong submarine cable landed in Tseung Kwan O. This landmark China-Cambodia Belt and Road project will strengthen the security of Cambodia's international Internet connectivity, while reinforcing our role as a regional information and digital hub.
Hong Kong is an ideal two-way springboard for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas, and for international companies looking to enter the Mainland market. Our GoGlobal Task Force, established last October, has assisted more than 300 Mainland enterprises in establishing or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong, and our world-class professional services are ready to support their overseas expansion plans.
We are equally committed to education. As the world's only city counting five universities among the global top 100, Hong Kong attracts outstanding students from around the world. The HKSAR Government's Belt and Road Scholarship has now supported more than 830 recipients. Some 5 000 students are enrolled in programmes of Hong Kong's publicly-funded universities this year. About 600 students from Belt and Road countries took up internships here, which is an increase of 50 per cent, year on year. Yes, Hong Kong is committed to developing a shared Belt and Road talent pool, a long-term foundation for expanding people-to-people bonds and regional co-operation.
Cultural exchange is also a central priority. The Hong Kong Palace Museum will partner with Uzbekistan's State Museum of History and the Center for Islamic Civilization, organising exhibitions on the Ancient Silk Road. And from September to November, Hong Kong hosts the fourth Asia+ Festival, celebrating the artistic and cultural diversity of Asia, including Belt and Road regions.
Embodying our strong network of friendship and collective striving for co-operation, this year's Belt and Road Summit features Central Asia's, Middle East and ASEAN elements. It also includes spotlights on the low-altitude economy, health, and the sovereign wealth funds of Belt and Road countries. The exhibition zone features more than 120 exhibitors.
During the Summit, we will witness the exchange of over 60 government agreements and MOUs, as well as business MOUs and transactions with Belt and Road partners. The total of projects and deals concluded in recent days has reached over 3.1 billion US Dollars.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Belt and Road Initiative is ultimately about building bridges – not just across continents, but also into a brighter future. Hong Kong thrives in connecting markets around the globe, but today, we are also connecting with the cosmos.
Yes, Hong Kong's reach now extends to the stars – as our city boasts its very first home-grown astronaut, payload specialist Dr Lai Ka-ying, now orbiting above us on the Tiangong Space Station as part of the crew of our country's Shenzhou-23. And, as much as I would love to stay and talk more with you this morning, I have to make a quick dash now – for I will be joining, in a moment, students from Hong Kong and Macao in a live space-to-earth dialogue with Dr Lai and her fellow astronauts.
Let's just say, from global infrastructure to outer space, Hong Kong knows no limits in its pursuit of development. On that note, I wish you all a rewarding Belt and Road Summit and an enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.
Thank you very much.
Ends/Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Issued at HKT 10:12
Issued at HKT 10:12
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